Enoch and Zion
"The Seventh from Adam."--Enoch was contemporaneous with Adam, and was
ordained and blessed by him (D&C 107:48). The period in which Enoch
figured was prolific of wonderful events, but the two standing out most
prominently are:
(1) The successful practice of the law of consecration, resulting in
the founding of Zion, the City of Holiness, which was taken into heaven
by translation.
(2) Enoch's vision of the future--past Noah and the deluge, past Christ
and the crucifixion, down even to the last days, when the coming of the
Lord in his glory would usher in the millennial reign of rest.
What Enoch Beheld.--Some of the sweetest and sublimest passages in
the writings of Moses, as reproduced by Joseph the Prophet, are those
in which he tells the story of Enoch and his city, and portrays the
marvelous events made visible to the eye of the ancient Seer. Here are
some of the more notable passages:
"And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart
and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among
them.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"And it came to pass that the Lord showed unto Enoch all the
inhabitants of the earth; and he beheld, and lo, Zion, in process of
time, was taken up into heaven. And the Lord said unto Enoch: Behold
mine abode forever.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of
the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it
that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the
mountains?
"And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst weep, seeing
thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?
"And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth,
yea millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the
number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and
yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just;
thou art merciful and kind forever;
"And thou hast taken Zion to thine own bosom, from all thy creations,
from all eternity to all eternity; and nought but peace, justice, and
truth is the habitation of thy throne; and mercy shall go before thy
face and have no end; how is it thou canst weep?
"The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these * * * * which thine eyes are
upon shall perish in the floods; and behold, I will shut them up; a
prison have I prepared for them.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"And Enoch also saw Noah, and his family; that the posterity of all the
sons of Noah should be saved with a temporal salvation.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"And behold, Enoch saw the days of the coming of the Son of Man, even
in the flesh; and his soul rejoiced, saying: The Righteous is lifted
up, and the Lamb is slain from the foundation of the world; and through
faith I am in the bosom of the Father, and behold, Zion is with me.
"And it came to pass that Enoch looked upon the earth; and he heard
a voice from the bowels thereof, saying: Wo, wo is me, the mother of
men; I am pained, I am weary, because of the wickedness of my children.
When shall I rest, and be cleansed from the filthiness which is gone
forth out of me? When will my Creator sanctify me, that I may rest, and
righteousness for a season abide upon my face?
"And when Enoch heard the earth mourn, he wept, and cried unto the
Lord, saying: O Lord, wilt thou not have compassion upon the earth?
Wilt thou not bless the children of Noah?
* * * * * * * * * * *
"And the Lord said unto Enoch: As I live, even so will I come in the
last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfil the oath
which I have made unto you concerning the children of Noah:
"And the day shall come that the earth shall rest, but before that
day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover
the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great
tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I
preserve;
"And righteousness will I send down out of heaven, and truth will I
send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten;
his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of
all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth
as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of
the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my
people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my
coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion,
a New Jerusalem.
"And the Lord said unto Enoch: Then shalt thou and all thy city meet
them there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see
us; and we will fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other;
"And there shall be mine abode, and it shall be Zion, which shall come
forth out of all the creations which I have made; and for the space of
a thousand years the earth shall rest.
"And it came to pass that Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of
Man, in the last days, to dwell on the earth in righteousness for the
space of a thousand years."--(Moses 7:18-64.)
A fuller account of Enoch's ministry as prophet, seer, and preacher of
righteousness, may be found in that chapter of the Book of Moses from
which the foregoing paragraphs are taken.
A Terrestrial Ministry.--"Now this Enoch," says the Prophet Joseph,
"God reserved unto himself, that he should not die at that time, and
appointed unto him a ministry unto terrestrial bodies, of whom there
has been but little revealed. He is reserved also unto the presidency
of a dispensation. * * * He appeared unto Jude, as Abel did unto Paul
(Jude 14,15). * * * Paul was also acquainted with this character, and
received instructions from him: "By faith Enoch was translated, that
he should not see death, and was not found, because God had translated
him" (Heb. 11:5).
* * * * * * * * * * *
"Now the doctrine of translation is a power which belongs to this
Priesthood. There are many things which belong to the powers of the
Priesthood and the keys thereof, that have been kept hid from before
the foundation of the world; they are hid from the wise and prudent to
be revealed in the last times.
"Many have supposed that the doctrine of translation was a doctrine
whereby men were taken immediately into the presence of God, and
into an eternal fulness, but this is a mistaken idea. Their place of
habitation is that of the terrestrial order, and a place prepared for
such characters, he held in reserve to be ministering angels unto many
planets, and who as yet have not entered into so great a fullness as
those who are resurrected from the dead."--("History of the Church,"
Vol. IV, pp. 209, 210.)
Enoch's City to Return.--Enoch's city, according to this teaching, is
now in terrestrial glory, awaiting its return to earth, when the season
is ripe, and preparations are complete for its reception. The change
wrought upon its inhabitants by translation not being equivalent to
resurrection, they will have to undergo a further change, to prepare
them for celestial glory. Doubtless their case is similar to that of
the Saints mentioned by Paul, who will not "sleep" in death, but be
changed "in the twinkling of an eye" to complete immortality, at the
time of the coming of the Son of God.--(I Cor. 15:51, 52.)
Zion Above and Zion Beneath.--The Zion of Enoch was undoubtedly a
foreshadowing of the Zion of the last days, with which it will blend,
and the following glorious picture then be realized:
"The Lord hath brought again Zion:
The Lord hath redeemed his people, Israel,
According to the election of grace,
Which was brought to pass by the faith
And covenant of their fathers.
The Lord hath redeemed his people,
And Satan is bound and time is no longer:
The Lord hath gathered all things in one:
The Lord hath brought down Zion from above.
The Lord hath brought up Zion from beneath.
The earth hath travailed and brought forth her strength:
And truth is established in her bowels:
And the heavens have smiled upon her:
And she is clothed with the glory of her God:
For he stands in the midst of his people:
Glory, and honor, and power, and might,
Be ascribed to our God; for he is full of mercy,
Justice, grace and truth, and peace,
For ever and ever. Amen."--(D. and C. 84:99-102.)